01.22.23 - The Sabbath Part 3 - Isaiah 56:1-7, 58:1-14

Open your Bibles to Isaiah 58.  •That’s where we will begin this morning.  •We are in the third week of a six week series on the doctrine of the Christian Sabbath.  •Today our focus will be on the Sabbath in the prophets.  Thus far in this series we’ve seen that the Sabbath began at creation.  •We’ve seen that the Sabbath is a Moral Law that did not go away with the end of the Old Covenant.  •And now, in order to reinforce the truth that there is a Sabbath for Christians, I want us to consider what the prophets of the OT had to say about the Sabbath. •They spoke about it often. Usually they spoke about how the Sabbath was being broken and how God’s wrath was coming because of it.  •God spoke many words to His People through the prophets about the Sabbath.  •But this morning, I want to consider a couple of happier and, hopefully, instructive portions of prophecy about the Sabbath.  •In particular, I want to consider chapters 56 and 58 of Isaiah’s prophecy.  This morning, I will not dive deeply into every detail in these two chapters, since there is so much Scripture that could be covered.  •Instead, my aim is to give a broad, sweeping exposition of each text so you can see the major themes the Lord is getting at.  •And, by doing so, I hope to show you that the Sabbath is for us today, and that God promises great blessings to those who keep it holy.  This is my outline for this morning: •First, I want us to look at Isaiah 58 and consider Sabbath Keeping as a Mark of True Religion.  •Then, we will turn to Isaiah 56 to see Sabbath Keeping Prophesied for the New Covenant Age.  •Then, we will turn back to Isaiah 58:13-14 to see God’s Blessings for Sabbath Keepers.  I hope to show you this morning that Sabbath-keeping was not a mere external, ceremonial show of religion, but is a mark of true religion.  •I hope to show you that the Sabbath is prophesied to continue on even after all the ceremonies of the Old Covenant had passed away.  •And I hope to show you something of God’s grace and kindness that He promises for those who obey His commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.  •May God bless the preaching of His Word and increase our love for Him by it.  If you would, and are able, please stand with me now for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God.  Isaiah 58:13-14 [13] “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  [14] then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (PRAY) Our Triune God,  We thank you for your Word. It is our sure and certain guide in a world of uncertainty and change.  We ask now that you would help us to understand, believe, and cherish what you have revealed in Scripture.  By the mighty working of the Spirit of God, teach us and grant us hearts warm to the truth.  Cause us to behold your wisdom, goodness, and kindness in the Scriptures.  Make us teachable. And teach us. Help us today. Sanctify us by your truth. Your Word is truth.  We ask these things in Jesus’ Name and for His sake.  Amen.  1.) As you all know by now, many claim that the Sabbath was a Ceremonial Law given only to the Jews and, therefore, it is not binding on the Christian.  •I know that I addressed that error at length last week, but I’d like to briefly address it again today from Isaiah as a way to dive more deeply into further arguments for the Christian Sabbath.  •I think that Isaiah 58 contradicts the idea that the Sabbath was a merely Ceremonial Law.  •And I say that because in this chapter external religious ceremonies like fasting with no heart behind it are being compared to true religion.  •And one of the marks of true religion is found in vv13-14 that we just read.  •And what would that mark of true religion be? The answer is Sabbath-keeping.  I will now read the entire chapter to you and then make some brief remarks so you can understand what is being said.  Isaiah 58:1-14 [1] “Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. [2] Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. [3] ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. [4] Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. [5] Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? [6] “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? [7] Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? [8] Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. [9] Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, [10] if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. [11] And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. [12] And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. [13] “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  [14] then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” In this chapter, Isaiah is being instructed to cry out against the sins of God’s People.  •And what is that sin? It is the sin of hypocritical formalism. Of having external forms of religions and ceremonies but not actually worshipping God.  •We see this accusation from the Lord in vv1-5. •There it is said that the People are fasting, but they are doing so with insincere hearts. They’re trying to manipulate the LORD.  They “seek” the LORD daily and “delight to know” His ways “as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God…” (V2) •They engage in external forms of worship, pretending to delight in the LORD as if they were righteous. But in reality, they were wicked and hypocritical.  •And they ask, in v3, “Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?” •They ask God, “Why don’t you answer or care for us? We’re fasting, but you won’t do as we’ve asked.” •And the reason why God doesn’t hear them or help the is found in vv3-4: “Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice heard on high.” •They are obsessed with doing their will/pleasure instead of God’s. They oppress the poor and act wickedly and harm their neighbor.  In v5, God says that this kind of “fasting,” this kind of religion, is not the fast that He chooses.  •God is not looking for mere externals like bowing your head like a reed, or sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  •God wants something more. Such merely external ceremony is unacceptable to the LORD.  So in this chapter, Isaiah is instructed to prophesy against merely external, ceremonial, ritual religion.  •God says that such religion is actually false religion. There is no heart behind it.  •And so, GOD HATES IT.  •Why? Because people who only practice ceremonial religion are not truly loving and obeying God, but are only giving a show of religion.  •The Apostle Paul talks about this kind of religion in 2 Timothy 3:5: “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” •God hates formalism. God wants the heart, not just the external religious actions.  NOTE: What a reminder for all of us! •Going through the outward motions of singing hymns and psalms, receiving baptism, coming to the Lord’s Table, fasting, reading Scripture, all of that must have our hearts in it, or it is nothing in the eyes of God.  •External things like these are good for us to do. They are even commanded by God.  •But externals, considered by themselves, are not true religion. God must have the heart as well.  •God wants worship that is internal just as much as it is external. He wants us to LOVE HIM.  •God wants worship that changes how we live and doesn’t terminate on the externals themselves.  •God wants worship that issues with us loving God and loving our neighbor more and more EVERY DAY. •God is not satisfied with mere externals. Don’t ever forget that. True religion is internal. And true religion will manifest itself in how we live and treat others.  And that’s what Isaiah goes on to write.  •In vv6-7, God goes on to tell His People what true fasting looks like.  •True fasting here stands for TRUE RELIGION.  •That’s the parallel. God has talked about the kind of religious observance/fasting that HE HATES and rejects. But now He talks about the kind of fasting/religion that HE LOVES and accepts.  •And God tells us that the fast, the kind of religion He chooses is: loosening the bonds of wickedness, undoing burdens, helping the oppressed, sharing food with the hungry, helping the homeless and poor, clothing the naked, and not refusing the needy.  •THAT IS TRUE RELIGION. God loves this stuff.  •Why? Because this is the Second Table of the Law coming to bear on how we treat others.  •This is loving your neighbor as you love yourself. And this kind of love is TRUE OBEDIENCE to the Lord.  •Such obedience springs from a heart that loves God Himself and wants to honor and please Him.  •This is true religion.  Then in vv8-12, God goes on to describe and promise blessings for practicing true and acceptable religion in His eyes.  •He we will bless those who truly love and obey Him.  •He will give spiritual light and healing to them. His glory will be their rear guard (He will protect them). He will hear and answer them when they cry out for help and blessing.  •He will guide them. He will make them spiritually healthy and strong (make their bones strong).  •He will rebuild their ancient ruins (He will build up His People. Or maybe this is a reference to the rebuilt Jerusalem after the exile).  •But the point is this: God will bless those who practice true religion and do not rely on mere external ceremonies.  Notice the IF/THEN nature of vv9-10.  •IF they will practice true religion and not cling to mere ceremonies and rituals, THEN God will bless them.  •The principle is that God loves, honors, and owns true religion but will always reject hypocritical ceremonial observances that have no heart for God in them.  Now we come to vv13-14.  •The same concept that is found in vv8-12 is continued here: Blessing for practicing true religion.  •vv13-14 is also an IF/THEN statement like what has come before. So the same idea is present.  •v13 is, therefore, describing AN EXERCISE IN TRUE RELIGION AND NOT A MERE CEREMONY OR EXTERNAL OBSERVANCE like what was being condemned at the beginning of the chapter.  •And what is said there? •“If you turn back your foot from the SABBATH, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable…” •Sabbath keeping is mentioned in v13. And, given the context of the whole chapter, this means that SABBATH KEEPING IS A MARK OF TRUE RELIGION.  •There are many, sure. It is not the only mark of true religion. But, according to God, it is nevertheless a real mark of true religion. •And God promises blessings in v14 for those who keep the day holy.  Now, to those who would say that the Sabbath was a mere Ceremonial Law for the Old Covenant, I ask,  •“Why would God count it as true religion, then? Why is this a mark of true piety and righteousness and godliness?” •Again, this whole chapter has to do with true and false religion. It has to do with relying on external ceremonies and rituals VS true, God-honoring, God-delighting religion and obedience that reveals hearts that love the Lord.  •And part of the category of true religion is keeping God’s holy day.  This teaches us that Sabbath-keeping is no mere Ceremonial Law.  •It is a mark of true piety, just as much as helping the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and caring for the needy.  •Surely, we believe that the other marks of true religion in this chapter are for Christians today.  •So it reasonable to conclude that Sabbath-keeping as true religion continues today.  Now, why is Sabbath keeping a mark of true religion?  •Well, it shows a dedication to the things of God and true delight in Him, His Word, and His worship.  •As we lay down our ordinary labors and recreations and devote the day entirely to the Lord, we are, in a very practical way, demonstrating that He is supreme to us.  •As we say “NO” to many things in the world in order to devote ourselves to heavenly things, we’re showing that we prize God over everything.  •As we give ourselves over to worship the whole day, we’re showing that our hearts are with God and that we long to be near to Him and spend time with Him.  •Sabbath-keeping is a real, in-your-face testimony to the world and one another that we love God. •Keeping the Sabbath takes planning, preparation, and, to some extent sacrifice.  •And so, it shows that our whole week has been looking forward to meeting with the Lord and that we truly delight and desire to be with Him as much as we can.  •This is no ceremonial issue. This is true religion. This reveals the state of our hearts, to some degree.  2.) Maybe you’re saying to yourself,  •“OK. So, Sabbath-keeping was a mark of true religion for the Jews. That much is clear. But that doesn’t mean anything to me as a Christian, does it? Just because it was a mark of true godliness back then doesn’t necessarily mean it still is today.” •Well, I think that you’ll find Isaiah 56 very interesting with regard to such a question.  •And I say that because I believe that Isaiah 56 speaks about Sabbath-keeping during the New Covenant era.  •And, if it does, that means that it continues to be a mark of true religion for us today.  •So, I’d like to now prove that Isaiah 56 is a prophecy of the New Covenant age and that it also talks about the Sabbath being kept at that time by God’s People.  But before we get to Isaiah 56, I want you to consider where that chapter is situated in Isaiah’s prophecy: 1. First, it’s good to mention that the whole section of Isaiah 40-66 often looks forward to the Messianic/New Covenant era.  •It seems to me that Isaiah shifts between addressing problems of his day, the future return of the exiles, the coming of the Messiah, the work of the Messiah, the ramifications of the work of the Messiah, and even the Consummation of all things at the end of the world.  •So, keeping that in mind, it’s not odd to point out that certain chapters have to do with the New Covenant age.  2. Now, let’s consider the more immediate context of Isaiah 56.  •Turning back just a few chapters to Isaiah 53, we are in very familiar territory.  •There we read of the atoning death and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  •We read of how “He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” •We read how Christ was crushed by God in order to offer up Himself as an offering for our guilt. How He suffered the wrath of God as a substitute for His sinful People in order to accomplish the forgiveness of our sins.  •And then we read of how “He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied…” •That is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He would die for us. But He would then SEE and be satisfied over what He has accomplished in His death.  •And by doing all of this, He will “make many to be accounted righteous…” •This chapter is about how Jesus Christ, the Messiah would come and save sinners by His death and resurrection.  3. Then, in chapter 54, immediately after the chapter about Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection, we read of how God will enlarge Israel as a result of what Jesus has done. •We read in vv2-3, “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities.”  •God will increase the nation because of what Jesus has done. Israel needs to make bigger tents because God’s People are about to grow in number in a huge way.  Then in v10 God speaks of how He has made a covenant of Peace with His People that will never be removed.  •This covenant is none other than the New Covenant that Christ inaugurated in His blood at the Cross.  •The New Covenant gives peace with God through faith Jesus Christ.  4. In the opening verses of chapter 55, we read that God beckons people to come and buy from Him without price.  •This is a clear call to come to God and be saved by faith alone, apart from any merits we could try to offer to Him. This is the call of the New Covenant.  •Then in v3 we read of how God will make an everlasting covenant with His People. A covenant based on His love for King David.  •This covenant is the New Covenant that is the fulfillment of God’s promise to David to send an eternal King to rule forever over God’s People. That King is Jesus Christ.  •God then goes on in vv12-13 to tell of how He will give peace and joy and gladness to His People.  •This is the gladness that is found in the Messiah.  5. Finally, we get to chapter 56. And the theme of the blessings that will come through Jesus Christ continues.  •And I want to now look at vv1-7 more deeply: Isaiah 56:1-7 [1] Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed. [2] Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” [3] Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” [4] For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, [5] I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. [6] “And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— [7] these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” [8] The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” In vv1-2, God issues a call to those receiving this prophecy that they are to “keep justice and do righteousness.” •The examples of what that entails are keeping the Sabbath and not doing any evil.  •And why should they be righteous? Because, as v1 says, “For soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.” •That is, the Messiah was soon to come. The New Covenant age is clearly in view.  Then, in vv 3-7, the prophecy goes on to speak about foreigners (Gentiles) and eunuchs being made part of the People of God.  •God speaks of foreigners and eunuchs who have joined themselves to the LORD, keep His Sabbaths, choose the things that please Him, hold fast His covenant, and love the name of the LORD.  •These are people who have come to now God and trust in the Messiah Jesus Christ.  •They have, in their hearts, joined themselves to God with all they have by faith in His promises made through Jesus Christ.  •They love God. They hold fast to His covenant. That is, they hold tightly to the New Covenant that Christ mediates. The will not let it go. They cherish God and what He has done in Christ.  •The New Covenant in Christ is the only covenant that has been mentioned in the last four chapters: The Everlasting Covenant that brings salvation to sinners.  •And God says that these Gentiles and eunuchs will not be separated from the People of God.  •Why? Because God Himself has made them His People.  God actually goes so far to say that He will put a monument and name within HIS HOUSE (temple) for the eunuch who loves Him.  •And the foreigner (Gentile) will MINISTER (perform priestly duties) to God.  •These are people who, under the Old Covenant were not allowed to assemble with God’s People or serve God in formal worship. But they will now be in the number of the People of God.  And these people will have their offerings and sacrifices accepted by God.  •Why? “For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” •God’s intention is to bring in the nations. That’s why He tells Israel to enlarge their tents in chapter 54.  •God is going to take people who were formerly outsiders and bring them into Israel.  •God is going to make outsiders into insiders by making them His covenant People, alongside believing Jews.  •Check out v8: “The Lord GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel declares, ‘I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.’” •God will gather both Jew and Gentile together after His righteousness and salvation, the Messiah, comes.  •That’s the big theme of this passage. And that is exactly what has happened under the New Covenant.  Now, before I go any further, I want to prove that this passage MUST BE about the New Covenant age.  •And I believe that absolutely MUST be the case because of two passages: Numbers 18:7 and Deuteronomy 23:1.  1. In Isaiah 56 we’re told that the Gentiles would serve as ministers to God.  •But in Numbers 18:7 we read God say to Aaron, “And you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.” •Nobody but the sons of Aaron could minister to God. But now God speaks of a time when Gentiles will minister to Him.  2. In Isaiah 56 we’re told that eunuchs would have a name and monument in God’s House. •But in Deuteronomy 23:1 we read, “No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD.” •Eunuchs were not allowed to assemble with God’s People. But now God speaks of a time when they will have a place and name within His House.  Though Gentiles and eunuchs were forbidden to do these things under the Old Covenant, there is no such prohibition under the New.  •Under the New Covenant, both Jews and Gentiles have been united into one covenant People under Christ.  •Ephesians 2:12-13 speaks to Gentiles, saying, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” •One People of God now exists. And that People is the Church, the Israel of God (Gal. 6:16), the true Jews (Rom. 2:28-29), the one Olive Tree that is the the People of God (Rom. 11:24).  •Isaiah is, therefore, prophesying about the New Covenant era.  And what does God say that these eunuchs and Gentiles will do at that time?  •Among other things, they will “keep my Sabbaths” (v4). They will “keep the Sabbath and…not profane it…” (v6).  •God says that during the time of the New Covenant, when Gentiles are made into the People of God, when the Old Covenant ceremonial barriers are taken away, they will keep the Sabbath and not profane it.  •When the Ceremonial Law has all passed away, and the substance which is Christ Jesus has come, the Sabbath will still remain.  •That means that there is a Sabbath for us to keep under the New Covenant. Isaiah prophesied it.  4.) Now, an objection this can be raised: Some will say,  •“But this is just OT language describing NT realities. The text says that they will keep the Sabbath, sure. But it also mentions God’s House (temple), ministering to Him (priestly service), and offering burnt offerings and sacrifices on God’s altar.  •Since we don’t have or do those things anymore, so we don’t keep the Sabbath anymore, either. The only point to take away is that the Gentiles will become God’s People in Christ.” •That’s a fair objection to make. And it needs answered.  ANSWER: It is true that this is OT language describing NT realities.  •We don’t go to a literal temple and offer literal sacrifices on a literal altar anymore. And there are no more literal, earthly priests.  •BUT, my dear brothers and sisters, we do have a Temple. We are all priests/ministers to God. And we do offer sacrifices.  •1 Peter 2:5 says, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” •The Church is the New Covenant Temple, where God dwells in its members.  •We are each made priests to God to offer Him sacrifices.  And we do offer sacrifices. Sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and obedience.  •Hebrews 13:5 says, “Through Him (Christ), then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God…” •Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” And we do have an Altar: Jesus Christ is the Altar.  •Because of Him and His sacrifice on the Cross, through faith in Him, our sacrifices, our good works and praise to God, are cleansed by His shed blood and made acceptable to the Lord.  The language of this passage should indeed be understood as OT language describing NT realties.  •And I believe the Sabbatarian still does this with the Sabbath references.  •We still keep a Sabbath, but it isn’t the Jewish one. It’s the Lord’s Day.  •Just like we still have a Temple and priesthood and sacrifices, just not the Jewish ones, we likewise still have a Sabbath day, but not the Jewish one (Saturday). We celebrate and keep the Lord’s Day holy, for it is the Christian Sabbath.  •This all fits together and the Sabbatarian can deal with ALL the OT language in this passage in a pretty straightforward manner.  A challenge to non-Sabbatarians arises from this: •How are to understand the language of Sabbath keeping for the New Covenant age if there is not a Sabbath for Christians? •The burden of interpretation rests on the one who would deny the Lord’s Day to be the Sabbath Isaiah spoke of in our text.  •In the interpretation I’ve set forth today, there is a corresponding NT element to every OT element mentioned in the text.  •But that is not the case with the Sabbath-denier.  Brothers and sisters, in this passage that describes some of the glory of the New Covenant era, we are likewise told that its members will continue to keep God’s Sabbath day holy.  •And that means that we must do so today. There is still a Sabbath to keep for the People of God.  5.) Now I’d like for us to return to Isaiah 58:13-14. •Having seen in Isaiah 56 that there is a Sabbath for Christians to keep during the New Covenant era, we can reasonably conclude that the blessings of keeping the Sabbath in Isaiah 58 remain ours for the taking, by God’s grace.  •We just have to interpret them in light of the New Covenant.  Hear me out: The earthly promises given under the Old Covenant foreshadow spiritual realities and promises for the New Covenant.  •Basically everything in the Old Covenant foreshadowed and pointed forward to something about the New Covenant in Christ.  •So, we will now turn to Isaiah 58:13-14 and seek to interpret it in light of the New Testament and consider what God promises us there.  •Having informed your mind, I now will try to get at your heart by showing you how kind God is to bless us if we keep the Sabbath holy.  Isaiah 58:13-14 [13] “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;  [14] then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” First, we’re told that in order to receive the blessings in v14, we must KEEP THE DAY.  •“IF you turn back your foot from the Sabbath…” •But what does that mean?  •It means that we must not trample down God’s Day.  •We must consider how we’re “walking” (living) on the day. How we’re using it.  •We must regard the day as HOLY. We must regard it as a day given for the purpose of worship.  •We must give the whole day over to God’s purposes.  And that’s why we’re told that we must not be “going your own ways or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly” on that day.  •“Not doing your own pleasure” means that we must not “do our own thing” on the Sabbath.  •We are not to engage in the things that we would ordinarily do on other days, even if they’re not intrinsically sinful. We must abstain from our pleasure, our wills. The day is not for mindless recreation or worldly work.  NOTE: God doesn’t say this because He is opposed to pleasure or is some kind of cosmic killjoy.  •Far from it. God tells us to lay down LESSER pleasures like football, shopping, idle conversations, video games, mindlessly playing with our phones, doing our ordinary work, making money, and all the rest, in order that we can pursue GREATER AND BETTER PLEASURES.  •God has something better for us on the Sabbath than the things we would normally engage in.  •God has spiritual and eternal blessings to give us. He has His own personal fellowship to give us. And He does not want us to be hindered from those good things.  Back to the text: To keep the day, we are to call it a DELIGHT.  •We must find it a joy in our hearts. We must consider it a day for rejoicing. We must consider a day to look forward to each week.  •It’s the day that we get to spend with our Greatest Friend, God. And so, we must call it a delight and not ever consider it a burden.  •And we must call the day HONORABLE. That is, keep it holy. We must use it for honorable things like worship and good works.  This is what it means to keep the day.  •This is one of the most extensive treatments, if not the most extensive treatment, on how to keep the Sabbath in the entire Bible.  •We must, therefore, use it as our guide to keeping the day.  And God tells us in v14 that if we keep the day, there are blessings that He will give us: 1. First, God tells us that if we keep the Sabbath: then you shall take delight in the LORD,  •This is so good: If we take delight in the day that belongs to the Lord, then the Lord will cause us to delight in Him more and more.  •This makes sense, doesn’t it?  •God says that the more we give the day over to Him, the more time spend in fellowship with Him, reading His Word, hearing it preached, worshiping Him, praying to Him, meditating on Him and His goodness toward us, talking about Him and what He has done and will do, HE WILL CAUSE US TO LOVE AND DELIGHT IN HIM MORE AND MORE.  We take delight in the Lord’s Day because we delight in the Lord Himself and want to spend time with Him.  •And so, He will meet our delight in Him by giving us a greater capacity to delight in Him. He will give us the ability to love Him more and rejoice in Him.  •What a gracious gift! God will cause us to love Him more as we spend more time with Him on His day.  What Christian doesn’t want this?  •Who doesn’t want to find God more delightful? •Every Christian wants this. And God promises it to the one who calls His day holy and honorable and delights in using it for God’s good purposes.  •Christian, hold God to His Word! Keep the day and see if He won’t do it! He surely will! For He is no liar.  2. Second, God promises to: make you ride on the heights of the earth;  •Now, this one is a bit harder to understand. But this kind of language is found in Habakkuk 3:19, Micah 1:3, Amos 4:13, and Deuteronomy 32:13.  •And this language of riding or treading or walking on the heights of the earth seems to mean something of having victory over your enemies. Or it has to do with being safe and away from harm/protected.  •Taking these things together, I think God is promising that those who keep the Sabbath will enjoy victory and safety from their enemies.  Now, this must be understood spiritually.  •I believe the Lord is promising that He will give us spiritual victory and safety from our enemies.  •That is, He will make us victorious over sin, Satan, and the world.  •As we keep His day holy, He will sanctify us, cause us to delight in Him, strengthen us, and help us to kill our sin and resist the world, the flesh, and the devil.  •He will cause us to tread down our foes by faith.  •He will put us in a safe place, in His arms, so that Satan cannot touch us or cause us to stumble.  •He will help us to say no to the world and overcome it by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  •He will help us to refuse to give an inch to our flesh, that we might conquer it and glorify His name.  Oh, Christian, God promises us help and growth in holiness as we keep His Day.  •Surely, we who love the Lord want this kind of victory that demonstrates the greatness, holiness, and glory of our God and Savior! •Keep the day and watch the Lord sanctify you and grow you into more and more maturity in Christ.  3. Third, God promises to: feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,  •God promises to feed His People with the inheritance of Jacob.  •Jacob’s inheritance of the land of Canaan was promised by God’s covenant with Abraham.  •There are many things that could be said about this, but I will try to be very broad with it:  •God is saying that those who keep His Sabbaths will be fed with, or will ENJOY/feast upon, the blessings of His covenant with them.  •And for us, that is the New Covenant. The Lord is promising that those who keep the Sabbath will enjoy the privileges and blessings of His covenant.  Christian, God will cause us to feast on the glories that are ours in the New Covenant.  •He will cause us to glory in and rejoice in what is ours in Christ. He will cause us to experience them and rejoice in them on a more personal level.  •The realities that we are justified in God’s sight, have peace with Him, and have been made His children will be made more real to us in our hearts.  •The truths that we have peace with God, that He hears our prayers, that He will preserve, protect, and care for us will become sweeter to us.  •The goodness of God’s love for us will become more palpable to us. Our assurance of salvation will increase. The reality of Heaven will become greater to us.  •God will cause us to feed on these things. He will cause us to personally enjoy all of these benefits, not as a list to be memorized, but as things to experience with Him.  •And who doesn’t want that?  And listen to how He ends these promises: for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” •God’s blessings for those who keep the Sabbath are certain and sure.  •The sovereign Lord has spoken. He will not change His mind. And He will not lie.  •Brothers and sisters, keep the day and be blessed by your God! 6.) In summary, the Sabbath receives much discussion in Isaiah.  •Keeping it is a mark of true religion and no mere ceremony.  •It is prophesied to be kept even after the Messiah comes.  •And God promises blessings to those who keep it.  This fits with what we’ve seen for the last two week: •The Sabbath is an abiding creation ordinance like marriage, procreation, labor, and male headship.  •The command to keep the Sabbath holy is one of the Ten Commandments and, therefore, part of the abiding Moral Law of God.  •The fact that it is prophesied to continue during the New Covenant and a mark of true love for God fits with the idea that there is still a Sabbath for us today.  •Surely, this is no light thing. Surely, it is no trivial matter of indifference to us! •Brothers and sisters, the Sabbath is for us. And so, we must keep it and honor the Lord who gave it.  So I beg you, really consider these things.  •Don’t let them go in one ear and out the other. Truly, really, consider them.  •I won’t say that your salvation depends upon it because we are saved only by Christ and His perfect work of atonement and obedience on our behalf.  •We will never be made right with God by works of the Law. Not by any kind of obedience at all. We are saved ONLY BY CHRIST.  BUT, living a life of gratitude to God is at stake.  •Pleasing your Heavenly Father who loves you is at stake.  •Receiving great blessing and help from the Lord is at stake.  •The fatherly discipline of God is at stake.  •Consider these things. And obey the Lord.  One final thing before I end: •Remember that Jesus Himself tells us in Mark 2 that He is Lord of the Sabbath.  •Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ is a kind King.  •The Lord of the Sabbath is a good Lord.  •We were reminded today that the Lord Jesus is the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.  •He is the Enlarger of Israel in Isaiah 54.  •He is the Bringer of the Covenant of Peace in Isaiah 55.  •And He is the One who gathers Gentiles like us to the People of God in Isaiah 56.  By His grace, we have been saved, changed, made clean, and brought into the number of God’s People.  •He has atoned for our sins, given us His righteousness, and brought us into His Household by grace alone.  •He has been so, so good to us.  •So then, in light of His goodness and kindness to save sinners like us, let us keep His Day holy.  •And, in grace upon grace, He promises that if we will only do our duty to obey Him and keep His day, He will bless us even more with Himself.  Truly, the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ, is greater, kinder, lovelier, and filled with more mercy and grace than we could ever imagine.  •Let us obey and give the day to the Lover and Savior of sinners.  May God teach us more and more to live Him. For He has first loved us.  •And loving Him, may we gladly obey whatever He is pleased to command.  •Amen.